Cambridge, MA

Census Place

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2024 Population
118,796
US Senator
Elizabeth Warren
Democratic Party
US Senator
Ed Markey
Democratic Party
2024 Median Age
30.4
0.328% 1-year decrease
2024 Poverty Rate
12.8%
2.82% 1-year increase
2024 Median Household Income
$130,748
3.38% 1-year growth
2024 Median Property Value
$1.09M
4.96% 1-year growth
2024 Employed Population
70,999
0.844% 1-year growth

About

None of the households in Cambridge, MA reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

81.8% of the residents in Cambridge, MA are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Cambridge, MA are Harvard University (11,095 degrees awarded in 2023), Massachusetts Institute of Technology (4,134 degrees), and Hult International Business School (1,015 degrees).

In 2024, the median property value in Cambridge, MA was $1.09M, and the homeownership rate was 33.5%.

Most people in Cambridge, MA worked at home, and the average commute time was 25.8 minutes. The average car ownership in Cambridge, MA was 1 car per household.

Population & Diversity

Cambridge, MA is home to a population of 119k people, from which 81.8% are citizens. As of 2024, 29.6% of Cambridge, MA residents were born outside of the country (35.1k people).

In 2024, there were 2.66 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (63.9k people) in Cambridge, MA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 24k Asian (Non-Hispanic) and 12.2k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Citizenship

81.8%
2024 Citizenship
82.8%
2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 81.8% of Cambridge, MA residents were US citizens, which is lower than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Cambridge, MA was 82.8%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Cambridge, MA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Cambridge, MA
  1. White (Non-Hispanic)
    63.9k ± 1.89k
  2. Asian (Non-Hispanic)
    24k ± 1.37k
  3. Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
    12.2k ± 1.15k
8.84%
Hispanic Population
10.5k people

In 2024, there were 2.66 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (63.9k people) in Cambridge, MA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 24k Asian (Non-Hispanic) and 12.2k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

8.84% of the people in Cambridge, MA are hispanic (10.5k people).

The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Cambridge, MA as a share of the total population.

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Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the Place level, so we are showing data for Massachusetts.
Most Common Origin
  1. China
    103,356 ± 7,834 people
  2. Brazil
    101,793 ± 7,776 people
  3. Dominican Republic
    101,190 ± 7,753 people

In 2023, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Massachusetts was China, the natal country of 103,356 Massachusetts residents, followed by Brazil with 101,793 and Dominican Republic with 101,190.

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Foreign-Born Population

29.6%
2024 Foreign-Born Population
35.1k people
28.8%
2023 Foreign-Born Population
33.9k people

As of 2024, 29.6% of Cambridge, MA residents (35.1k people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 14%. In 2023, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Cambridge, MA was 28.8%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Cambridge, MA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Veterans

Most Common Service Period
  1. Gulf War (2001-)
    551 ± 151
  2. Vietnam
    539 ± 140
  3. Korea
    157 ± 143

Cambridge, MA has a large population of military personnel who served in Gulf War (2001-), 1.02 times greater than any other conflict.

The chart shows the distribution of veterans by conflict in Cambridge, MA.

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Economy

The economy of Cambridge, MA employs 71k people. In 2024, the largest industries in Cambridge, MA were Educational Services (19,981 people), Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (16,481 people), and Health Care & Social Assistance (9,087 people), and the highest paying industries were Utilities ($135,170), Management of Companies & Enterprises ($130,938), and Information ($128,838).

Occupations

71k
2024 Value
± 1,926
0.844%
1 Year growth
± 3.83%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Cambridge, MA grew at a rate of 0.844%, from 70.4k employees to 71k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Cambridge, MA, are Education Instruction, & Library Occupations (12,229 people), Management Occupations (8,838 people), and Life, Physical, & Social Science Occupations (8,705 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Cambridge, MA.

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Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Massachusetts.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Massachusetts (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Employment by Industries

71k
2024 Value
± 1,926
0.844%
1 Year growth
± 3.83%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Cambridge, MA grew at a rate of 0.844%, from 70.4k employees to 71k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Cambridge, MA, are Educational Services (19,981 people), Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (16,481 people), and Health Care & Social Assistance (9,087 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Cambridge, MA, though some of these residents may live in Cambridge, MA and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

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Median Earnings by Industry

$83,950
Median earning men ± $2,789
$69,043
Median earning women ± $4,450

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Information ($155,104), Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($128,214), and Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($121,513).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Wholesale Trade ($148,984), Manufacturing ($117,614), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($102,027).

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Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Massachusetts.
Y-Axis
2.61%
Year-over-year growth
Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 3.67M people employed in Massachusetts. This represents a 2.61% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 17.5%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Massachusetts.

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Civics

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Massachusetts went to Kamala Harris with 61.2% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (36%), followed by Other (1.48%).

Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey are the senators currently representing the state of Massachusetts. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Massachusetts is currently represented by 9 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

US Senators from Massachusetts

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Massachusetts.
Elizabeth Warren
Senator from Massachusetts1
Assumed office on January 3, 2013
Ed Markey
Senator from Massachusetts2
Assumed office on July 16, 2013
Elected to the seat to succeed Mo Cowan, who had been appointed to the seat following the resignation of John Kerry, who had become Secretary of State.

Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey are the senators currently representing Massachusetts.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Massachusetts over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

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Education

In 2023, universities in Cambridge, MA awarded 17,346 degrees. The student population of Cambridge, MA in 2023 is skewed towards women, with 22,627 male students and 25,134 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Cambridge, MA are White (5,544 and 46.8%), Asian (2,444 and 20.7%), Hispanic or Latino (1,417 and 12%), and Black or African American (908 and 7.67%).

The largest universities in Cambridge, MA by number of degrees awarded are Harvard University (11,095 and 64%), Massachusetts Institute of Technology (4,134 and 23.8%), and Hult International Business School (1,015 and 5.85%).

The most popular majors in Cambridge, MA are General Business Administration & Management (1,332 and 7.68%), Computer Science (967 and 5.57%), and Management Science (821 and 4.73%).

The median tuition cost for private four year colleges is $51,725.

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University
Measure

In 2023 in Cambridge, MA, the percentage of applicants admitted was 7.79%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 45.1%. The number of students enrolled in 2023 was 47,761 (47.4% men and 52.6% women).

The line chart  shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

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Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2023 there were 47,761 students enrolled in Cambridge, MA, 47.4% men and 52.6% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 14,745 records, of which 56% were women and 44% men.

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Concentrations

In 2023, the most common concentation for Masters Degree recipients in Cambridge, MA was General Business Administration & Management with 1,173 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Masters Degree from schools in Cambridge, MA according to their major.

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Universities

Gender
Race
Largest Universities by degrees awarded
  1. 11,095 degrees awarded
  2. 4,134 degrees awarded
  3. 1,015 degrees awarded

In 2023, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Harvard University with 11,095 degrees awarded.

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Student Diversity

University

In 2023, 8,396 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Cambridge, MA, which is 0.938 times less than the 8,950 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2023, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 5,544 degrees mean that there were 2.27 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Asian, with 2,444 degrees awarded.

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Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

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Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($51,725) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2023.

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($890) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2023.

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($900) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

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Housing & Living

The median property value in Cambridge, MA was $1.09M in 2024, which is 3.28 times larger than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $1.04M to $1.09M, a 4.96% increase. The homeownership rate in Cambridge, MA is 33.5%, which is lower than the national average of 65.2%.

People in Cambridge, MA have an average commute time of 25.8 minutes, and they worked at home. Car ownership in Cambridge, MA is lower than the national average, with an average of 1 car per household.

Property

$1.09M
Median Property Value 2024
±$42,162
$16,547
Median Property Taxes
±$831

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Cambridge, MA the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Cambridge, MA compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

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Rent vs Own

33.5%
Homeownership
2024
65.2%
Homeowners with Mortgage
2024

In 2024, 33.5% of the housing units in Cambridge, MA were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 33.7%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Cambridge, MA compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

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Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.
$130,748
Median Household Income
± $3,564
49.4k
Number of Households
± 1,426

In 2024, the median household income of the 49.4k households in Cambridge, MA grew to $130,748 from the previous year's value of $126,469.

The following chart displays the households in Cambridge, MA distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $200k+ range.

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Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Cambridge, MA is from Massachusetts.
0.478
2023 Wage GINI in Massachusetts
0.48
2022 Wage GINI in Massachusetts

In 2023, the income inequality in Massachusetts was 0.478 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.384% decline from 2022 to 2023, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Massachusetts was higher than than the national average of 0.476. In other words, wages are distributed less evenly in Massachusetts in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Massachusetts across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

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Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2024
  1. Worked At Home (30.8%)
  2. Drove Alone (19.7%)
  3. Walked (19.2%)

In 2024, 30.8% of workers in Cambridge, MA worked at home, followed by those who drove alone to work (19.7%) and those who walked to work (19.2%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

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Commute Time

25.8 minutes
Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Cambridge, MA have a shorter commute time (25.8 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 1.47% of the workforce in Cambridge, MA have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Cambridge, MA compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Car Ownership

1 car
Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Cambridge, MA distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Cambridge, MA have 1 car.

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Poverty & Diversity

12.8% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Cambridge, MA (13.1k out of 102k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 18 - 24, followed by Females 25 - 34 and then Males 25 - 34.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Cambridge, MA is White, followed by Black and Asian.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

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Health

98.3% of the population of Cambridge, MA has health coverage, with 66.1% on employee plans, 9.45% on Medicaid, 7.98% on Medicare, 14.5% on non-group plans, and 0.282% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Massachusetts see 990 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (990 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 915 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 130 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 50.4% were men and 49.6% were women.

Health Care Diversity

In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 14.7% under 18 years, 45.4% between 18 and 34 years, 27.9% between 35 and 64 years, and 12% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 50.4% were men and 49.6% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

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Uninsured People

1.7%
Uninsured
66.1%
Employer Coverage
9.45%
Medicaid
7.98%
Medicare
14.5%
Non-Group
0.282%
Military or VA

Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Cambridge, MA declined by 4.94% from 1.79% to 1.7%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Cambridge, MA changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

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